Actress Mourns Security Guard Lost in Traffic Accident

Actress and musician Taylor Momsen is mourning the death of Mason Haynes, a security professional who served as her protector and close friend for years. Haynes died at age 52 on July 4 following what a GoFundMe page described as a tragic road traffic accident.

The 32-year-old former Gossip Girl star posted a lengthy tribute on Instagram Wednesday, July 15, accompanied by throwback photographs of her time with Haynes.

"I've struggled for days and still am not sure how to process this. Mason Haynes was my family, my protector, my confidant and one of my closest friends," Momsen wrote in the social media post. "When someone knows every dark secret about you and never judges, spends 24 hours a day with you seven days a week, you form a bond that is hard to explain."

Momsen described Haynes as a powerful presence with exceptional compassion. "He was a powerful giant with the softest heart of anyone I knew. Smart as a whip, artistic and most importantly he was always putting others needs first. His advocacy against bullying ran deep within him," she wrote.

The accident occurred just two days before what would have been Haynes' 53rd birthday, according to the fundraising page established to support his family and cover funeral expenses. He is survived by his wife Fay, daughter Brooke, and son Noah.

Throughout his career in executive protection, Haynes worked with numerous high-profile clients. His roster included Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. Notably, he was part of Kardashian's security detail during the October 2016 incident when she was robbed at gunpoint in a Paris apartment.

The GoFundMe page paints a portrait of a man whose impact extended far beyond his professional duties. The fundraiser describes him as someone "who made people feel welcome from the moment they met him. A man who would cross countries to help a friend. A man who never let a loved one down and who saw the deep qualities in people that others often overlooked."

The page further characterized him as "a protector. A mentor. A prankster. A giant in every sense of the word, with an even bigger heart."

In closing her tribute, Momsen urged her followers to support the fundraising effort and to appreciate their own loved ones. "I will miss him in a way I can't explain. My love to his family who meant more than the world to him," she wrote. "I love you Mason, I can't believe I'll never hear your voice again. You were truly one of a kind. Hold your loved ones close and don't take a minute for granted."

The fundraiser remains active for those wishing to contribute to the family during this difficult time.